Sash release mechanism



March l1, 1969 Y. w. EHRr-:T ETAL 3,431,677 sASH RELEASE MEoHANIsM Sheet Filed Oct. 12, 1967 RY zoLTo M4 ArT'Ys. C

March ll, 1969 Y, w, EHRET ETAL 3,431,677

SASH RELEASE MECHANI SM Filed om. 12, 1967 sheet of 2 l N VE NTORS YALE W. EHRET HARR Y Z OLTOK ATT'Ys.

United States Patent Oi'lce 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A secondary release mechanism for an escape sash in a bus or other vehicle wherein the sash is mounted in the wall opening so as to pivot outwardly on hinges located at the top edge and is normally held closed by a locking bar pivoted on the frame in which the sash is mounted and having hooks which engage keepers on the lower edge of the sash, the release mechanism including a pull cord operated lock on the sash mounting frame and a cable having one end connected to the sash and the other end releasably connected to the lock, the ca'ble connection with the sash limiting the movement of the sash to a predetermined, partially open position when the sash is released by the locking bar and a further manual operation being required to disconnect the cable and permit the sash to swing free for maximum opening.

This invention relates to hardware for closure panels which are pivotally mounted in openings in a vehicle Wall or the like and is more particularly concerned with improvements in release mechanism for use in conjunction with vehicle escape sash.

It has been the practice in designing busses, trains and like vehicles to provide one or more individual sash assemblies along the sides of the vehicle which serve as escape sash. In one such arrangement the escape sash is hinged or otherwise pivotally mounted at its upper edge so that it can be swung out of the window opening to provide an emergency exit, the unhinged or free edge thereof being normally maintained in a closed and weathertight condition Eby a manually releasable lock or latching means. A release mechanism for the lock or latching means is located below the sash adjacent the passengers in the seats which can be easily operated by one person to permit an emergency escape from the vehicle should it become necessary. A relatively simple lock or latching means is employed and in one form thereof the lock or latch is released by swinging movement of a hingedly mounted section of a trim strip which normally extends along the lower edge of the opening in which the sash is mounted. In the operation of vehicles having this or similar type escape sash as a safety feature, it has been found that when a crash occurs an escape sash may be prematurely opened by the impact or by manual operation of the release mechanism, and there is sometimes increased passenger injury due to passengers falling or being thrown out of a window opening while the bus is rolling or the like. This has made it desirable to provide some arrangement for preventing the sash from opening fully when it is released either due to impact or panic on the part of a passenger. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism to supplement the normal locking or latching mechanism of an escape sash so as to prevent the sash from opening fully when the release mechanism is operated and requiring an additional manual operation to permit full opening of the sash for passenger exit.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide an escape sash assembly for a vehicle or the like wherein the sash is mounted so that it can be swung outwardly of the vehicle with a lock or latch normally holding it in closed position which may be released manually and a supplemental holding device which normally operates to permit only partial opening of the sash and which supplemental holding device may thereafter be operated manually to fully release the sash for further outward swinging movement so that it may be opened suiciently to serve as an emergency exit.

It is another object of the invention to provide an escape sash assembly for a vehicle wherein the sash is mounted for swinging movement about its uppermost edge and normally held in closed position by a manually operable lock mechanism located at the free edge of the sash and wherein there is provided a mechanism for preventing the opening of the sash beyond a certain point when the lock mechanism is released with the secondary mechanism being manually releasable so as to permit full opening of the sash and incorporating a shock absorbing feature.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of an escape sash for vehicles wherein the sash is hinged, preferably at the top edge, in a wall opening and provided with mechanism for manually controlling from inside the vehicle the extent to which the sash may be opened by an initial manual release of a latch or lock mechanism which enables the sash to hinge outwardly a limited distance where the opening movement is arrested by a cable member having a shock absorbing connection with the sash at one end and at the other end having a separable connection with an anchoring mechanism mounted in xed relation adjacent the latch release mechanism which anchoring mechanism is operable by a pull cord to free the cable end and permit full opening of the sash.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the vehicle sash structure which is shown Iby way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle mounted escape sash and release mechanism therefor, the view being taken from the inside of the vehicle in which the sash is mounted;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of FIG- URE 1 to an enlarged scale and with portions fbroken away;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away;

FIGURE 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3, to an enlarged scale; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view with portions broken away showing the secondary release mechanism holding the sash in partially open condition.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated an escape sash which is mounted in the wall of a vehicle and which incorporates the release mechanism of this invention. The sash assembly 10 comprises a mounting or supporting frame 11 set in an opening 12 in a vehicle wall 13 and a sash 14 which contains a horizontally slidable panel 15 mounted in the sash frame 16. The sash frame 16 is connected at its upper edge by hinge members 17 with the mounting frame 11 and when positioned in closed relation an inner face thereof is in substantial abutment with the outer face of an inner ange 18 of the mounting frame 11, there being an interposed weatherseal 19. The sash frame 16 is provided with a sealing gasket 20 extending about the periphery thereof and engageable with the opposed face of the supporting or mounting frame 11, and a bottom edge spacer or support strip 20.

Patented Mar. 11, 1969I The sash 14 is locked or latched in closed position in the frame 11 by hook-shaped elements 21 carried in spaced relation along the bottom of the sash frame 16 as shown in FIGURE 2 which are engaged by co-operating latch members 22, formed by cutting away portions of the bead on the top edge of a bar 23 which extends along the bottom edge of the opening 12 and constitutes a section of the inside trim for the vehicle. The trim section or bar 23 is pivotally mounted at 24 at opposite ends of the sash assembly and serves to cover the lower edge of the frame 16 and the top edge of the frame 11. The trim strip 23 is of substantial width and is adapted to be mounted so that it may be grasped along the lower edge and swung upwardly to disengage the latch members 22 and the hook formations 21 allowing the sash to be swnug out on its hinges 17. The pivots 24 may be provided with torsion springs (not shown) or other suitable resilient means normally holding the bar 23 in position shown in FIGURE 2. Also, if desired, the trim member or bar 23 may be provided with portions (not shown) spaced longitudinally of the hook engaging latch members 22 which are adapted to engage with keeper plates (not shown) on the sash for use in camming the sash open.

The secondary or supplemental release mechanism for the sash comprises a cable 30 (FIGURES 3 and 4) which is anchored in the sash frame 16 with a free end releasably held by a lock assembly 31, duplicate mechanisms being preferably mounted adjacent opposite ends of the lower sash frame member when the sash is of substantial length. The mechanism for anchoring the cable 30 is enclosed in an upwardly opening recess 32 which extends along the inner portion of the sash frame 16 and which is covered by a filler strip 33 retained in the top of the recess 32 by any suitable fastening means. The cable anchoring mechanism comprises a housing forming outer tube 34 which extends between a guide block 35 and an angle bracket 36, both of which are secured in the recess 32 by screws or other suitable fasteners. The one end of the tube 34 telescopes over a small ange formation 37 extending from an end face of the guide block and communicates with a right angled guide slot 38 in the block 35 for accommodating the cable 31. The tube 34 is, of course, concealed in the recess 32 by the ller strip 33. The end of the cable 31 is anchored at 40 to the end of a relatively soft coiled spring 41 which encompasses the end section 42 of the cable 31 and extends to a collar member 43 normally spaced a predetermined distance from the end of the cable 31 and slidable on the latter. A relatively short section of tubing 44 is telescoped over the end section 42 of the cable 31, which tubing 44 is of lesser length than the spring 41 when the latter is free of compressive force. A relatively stiftc coiled spring 45 extends between the collar member 43 and the ange formation 37 on the guide block 35 which limits the movement of the tube 44 and functions as a shock absorber. The free end of the cable 31 carries a terminal ball 46 and cross bar 47 with the latter adapted to be engaged in releasable relation with the forked end of a vertically extending clamping bar 48 constituting part of the lock mechanism 31 for the secondary release.

The lock mechanism 31 is mounted on the frame 11 at the edge of the opening 12 and is concealed by the trim strip or release bar 23. The lock mechanism 31 includes a base plate 50 which is secured by screws or any other suitable means to the inside face 51 of the frame 11 and a housing 52. A rectangular compartment 53 is formed in one side of the housing in which the lock bar 48 is mounted for vertical sliding movement. The lock bar 48 has a pin 54 depending from the bottom end which is slidable in a bore 55 in the bottom wall of the housing 52. A compression spring 56 surrounds the pin 54 and urges the bar 48 toward an upwardly extended position. The upper end of the bar 48 is adapted to abut against a stop member 57 formed by the turned over end of an extension 58 on the wall 59 of the housing 52 which is opposite the base plate 50. The upper end of the bar 48 is of reduced thickness and is slotted at 60 to receive the end of the cable 31, with the cross bar 47 trapped between the end of the bar 48 and the wall extension 58 when the bar 48 is in extended position (FIGURE 3). Intermediate its top and bottom ends the bar 48 is recessed at 61 to receive one arm 62 of a bell crank control lever 63. The lever 63 is pivoted at 64 in the housing 52 with the other arm 65 olset relative to the plane of the arm 62 so as to extend outside an opening 66 in the wall 59 of the housing 52. A pull cord 67 has one end connected at 68 to the free end of the arm 65 and the other end anchored to a fixed portion of the vehicle frame or connected to the corresponding arm on a lock mechanism 31 at the other end of the sash opening 12 so that a pull on the cord l67 will swing the crank lever 63 so as to retract the lock bar 48 against the force of the compression spring 56 and free the end of the cable 31.

The sash is normally held in closed position by the engagement of the latch members 22 with the hooks 21 on the sash frame. To break this connection and release the sash for outward swinging movement the lower edge of the trim bar 38 is grasped and the bar is pivoted upwardly to disengage the latch members 21 and 22. The sash may then be swung outwardly on the hinges 17 to a partially open position. The secondary release cable 30 will extend only the amount permitted by spring 41. If the sash is swung out with considerable force the spring 45 will act as a shock absorber and prevent breaking of the mechanism. The secondary release cable 30 prevents full opening of the sash. The end of the cable 30 is disconnected by pulling on the cord 67 so as to retract the lock bar 48. This releases the sash for full opening movement. When it is desired to close the sash, after it has been opened, the end of the cable 30 is manually engaged with the lock mechanism 31 and the sash is closed by engaging the primary latch members 21 and 22.

'While particular materials and specific details of construction are referred to in describing the form of the apparatus illustrated it will be understood that other materials and equivalent structural details may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a window construction for a vehicle comprising a sash assembly having a generally rectangular sash frame mounted for swinging movement in a supporting frame and a releasable latch mechanism disposed inside the vehicle for normally holding the sash frame in closed position in the supporting frame, a secondary release mechanism disposed inside the vehicle which includes a movement limiting cable member having means permanently anchoring one end thereof to the sash frame and means separably connecting the other end to the supporting frame, said anchoring means permitting the cable member to extend a predetermined limited amount when the sash frame is released for opening movement by operation of said latch mechanism thereby permitting free outward swinging movement of the sash to a predetermined partially open position, and means for thereafter manually operating said separable connecting means to free the end of the cable which is connected to the supporting frame so as to permit full opening of the sash.

2. In a window construction as recited in claim 1, and said means for separably connecting the end of the cable to the supporting frame comprising a pull cord actuated lock mechanism.

3. In a window construction as recited in claim 1, and the means for separably connecting the end of the cable to the supporting frame comprising a lock mechanism having a sliding lock bar with a cable end retaining means and a manually actuable bar moving means.

`4. In a window construction as recited in claim 1 and the means for separably connecting the end of the cable to the supporting frame comprising a lock mechanism normally concealed by said latch mechanism, and means adapted to be quickly grasped for manually operating said lock mechanism.

5. A window construction comprising a sash hingedly mounted in an opening in a supporting wall, manually operable, readily releasable primary means for latching the sash when in closed position, manually operable, readily releasable secondary means connecting the sash and the supporting wall which is accessible on the inside of the wall only when the sash is unlatched by operation of said primary means and which is operable to releasably hold the sash against opening beyond a relatively small, predetermined distance, and said secondary means being thereafter manually operable to disconnect the sash for unlimited hinging movement.

6. A Window construction as set forth in claim 5 and said secondary means including a cable having one end permanently connected to the sash and a lock forming mechanism xed on the supporting wall and releasably engaging the other end of the cable, which lock forming mechanism is inaccessible for operation when said sash is latched.

7. A window construction as set forth in claim 5 and said secondary means including a cable having one end extending into a housing on the sash and connected to a coiled spring, a latch bar on the supporting wall and associated mechanism for normally holding said latch bar in engagement with the other end of said cable so as to limit the opening of the sash, and means for operating the latch bar to release the end of the cable so that the sash is free to swing to fully open position, which operating means is inaccessible for operation when said sash is latched.

8. In a window construction wherein a sash is hinged for swinging movement in a wall opening, a mechanism for normally limiting the opening movement of the sash which mechanism is releasable lto free the sash for movement to a fully open position, said mechanism comprising.

an elongate tubular housing mounted on the sash in parallel relation with the hinged connection between the sash and the Wall and extending along a free edge of the sash, a guide block at the end of the housing having a guideway and a cable member extending through the guideway with one end extending into said housing and having its end connected to the remote end of a coil spring assembly which encompasses the end of the cable member, the other end of the cable member having an enlargement adapted for releasable engagement with a lock mechanism, and a lock mechanism on said wall adjacent the opening for the sash, which lock mechanism includes a spring pressed lock bar for releasably engaging the enlargement on the end of the cable, a pivotally mounted lever for retractng the lock bar to disengage the lock bar and the end of the cable, and a pull cord operator connected to said lever.

9. In a window construction as set forth in claim 8 and said coil spring assembly comprising a light compression spring encompassing the end of the cable, a heavy compression spring encompassing a portion of the cable intermediate the ends thereof and having one end seated against said guide block and a collar separating the two spring members which is freely slidable on the cable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS `198,553 12/1877 Von Aver 292-264 279,791 6/ 1883 Parkinson 10S-348 546,102 9/1'895 Jenkins 292-264 807,779 12/ 1905 Rinald 292-264 832,420 10/ 1906 Rinaldy 292-272 X 1,122,199 12/1914 Gadbois 292-264 2,454,794 11/ 1948 Hakanson 292-264 2,724,257 11/ 1955 Segal 292--264 X 2,830,843 4/11958 Seaburg et al. 419-1141 X 3,101,603 8/1963 North et al. 292-264 X FOREIGN PATENTS 358,002 12/ 1961 Switzerland.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. XJR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,431,677 March ll, 1969 Yale W. Ehret et al.

It s certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

line l6, "swnug" should read swung same column 3, lines Column 3,

lines 5 and 2l, "cable 3l", each occurref 45, 48, 50, 52 and 58, and column 4, should read cable 30 Signed and sealed this 31st day`of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JB

Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer 

